News / Niche players like Arkas are the lines to watch in Black Sea container shipping

The Odessa container terminal run by HPC is the third largest in the region

2M partners Maersk and MSC have the largest share of the Black Sea container shipping markets, according to research by East European transport analyst Informall.

However, they will be looking over their collective shoulder at the line that gained most market share, year-on-year: Turkish operator Arkas.

In the first quarter of this year, the Black Sea container market – Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania and Georgia – amounted to 587,000 teu, a figure that includes handling empty containers but not transhipment activity.

Laden containers made up ...